Category Archives: Derek Thomas

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Ligonier held it’s regional conference in the San Francisco area this past March, and the sessions are available for free streaming. The tableau of speakers included Robert Godfrey Jr., Steve Lawson, Derek Thomas and R.C. Sproul Jr.

The subject of the conference obviously takes it’s cues and point of view from Bunyan’s classic Pilgrim’s Progress with the goal of wrestling with “what our heavenly citizenship means for our earthly pilgrimage, our pursuit of truth, and our future hope, among other topics.”

The Shepherd’s Conference has finished with a bang by MacArthur. This years conference has been titled The Inerrancy Summit, and it has assembled a stellar gathering of speakers: Alistair Begg, R. C. Sproul, Steve Nichols, Ligon Duncan, Carl Trueman, Mark Dever, Steve Lawson, Greg Beale, Derek Thomas, Al Mohler, Sinclair Ferguson, Iain Murray, Kevin DeYoung, and no I didn’t make this up.

Most of the sessions are on Vimeo, and more audio and video options will be coming later, I presume.

More than one pulpit has had the phrase, “Sir, we would see Jesus” posted where the preacher can see it as he proclaims the Word of God. It is a good reminder. One thing we learn from church history is that preachers must always fight the temptation to preach their opinions, current events, popular culture- anything but Christ and Him crucified. Today we are facing a dire need for the church to recapture the centrality of Christ in its preaching and life. From many pulpits people hear messages that do not emphasize the gospel, or they hear no gospel preached. This weakens the church’s witness, does not provide spiritual food to those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and it turns us into a people who wander about like sheep without a shepherd.

You can listen or watch it online for free, or purchase the entire conference for $12.80. Not a bad price for a good conference.

Speaking at this years conference are Voddie Baucham, Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steven Lawson, Albert Mohler, Stephen Nichols, R.C. Sproul Jr., R.C. Sproul, and Derek Thomas. These men consider some very difficult question as it relates to our contemporary culture. How are we to confront this present world? How do we live faithfully as godly remnant in such a world? How should we defend the faith? How do we stand up for and champion biblical ethics in a society that is hostile to our ethics?

From the website:

As has been true in every generation, the church today faces many challenges from the world. The intellectual and moral opposition that we face can seem overwhelming at times, which is why we need to remember that Christ has already overcome this opposition. By His life, death, and resurrection, our Savior has conquered our enemies, and by His Spirit He has granted us to share in the victory. The Lord, in His Spirit, comes alongside us to strengthen us for the battles we face. This strengthening occurs as we are grounded in His truth (John 17:17).

Ligonier is offering this years conference free for online viewing, it is also available for purchase.

Nic Batzig and Derek Thomas sit down to talk worship and discuss at length on how the regulative principle provides guidance in how churches worship. In this very long interview Derek provides some very helpful and clarifying thoughts that you will find useful. If you think the regulative principle is just some dry, fuddy-duddy guideline, you will come away with a very different idea.

This years Twin Lake Fellowship was held in April. I’ve been slowly listening to these messages since April, and while many are very good, there are a few that stand out.

Ligon Duncan gave two messages that deal with the incredibly important issue of theology, what it is for, and how systematic theology is important for pastoral ministry. He has touched on these issues in other conferences, but here we have two very strong messages dealing with this head on.

Ligon Duncan’s message is a tour de force of a defense of the need for systematic theology. In a day when the spirit of the age is to assert “deeds, not creeds,” and views theology with suspicison, this is a much needed message. Duncan unravels many arguments raised against systematic theology. The major falacy is that you cannot not have a theology. Everyone operates on a theology. And to think you can act without theology, you’re just kidding yourself. We are all theologians. The question is, are you a good one or a bad one.

Two other messages not to miss: Doug Kelly’s message on Deuteronomy 23 and David Robertsons message on Emergent Calvinism.

The Twin Lakes Fellowship is a ministerial fraternal devoted to the encouragement of Gospel ministry and ministers, and to the promotion of healthy biblical church planting. The Twin Lakes Fellowship is a ministry of the Session of the historic First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS (in conjunction with several other PCA sessions and ministers in Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina). This fellowship is designed to pursue a twofold purpose: (1) to encourage ministers and churches to promote the work of church planting through their local congregations and (2) to encourage ministers in their personal growth in grace, so as to maximize their effectiveness in promoting the work of the Gospel.

Ligon Duncan kicked off the conference with a very strong, clarifying call for faithful expositional preaching.

David Meredith, who is a pleasure to listen to, took on the subject of evangelism, and gave his impressions of the Evangelism Explosion material. Don`t miss this one.

The ministry of Together for Adoption is led by Dan Cruver and Jason Kovacs, both who are passionate for Christians to be involved in adopting orphans. The message titles give a very clear picture of what this conference is about: “The Good News of Adoption”, “The Cosmic Significance of Adoption”, “Adoption in God’s Story of Redemption”, “Our Adoption and Visiting Orphans in their Affliction.”

The speakers make a strong appeal for the need of the church to be more involved in adoption, and they support their admonition by drawing from our adoption as sons and daughters into the kingdom of God, and our instruction of visiting orphans in their affliction.

Also available on the same page are other sermons and addresses on adoption from a wide variety of well-known speakers such at C. J. Mahaney, Russell Moore, Derek Thomas, John Piper and many others, most of whom have adopted children.

Unfortunately, my internet filter has blocked my ability to download these messages, but I have been able to listen to a few of them in streaming format, as I have opportunity. This is a very good resource of information if you have the ability and/or interest in adoption.

Ezekiel is a prophet we tend to pay little attention too. He ministered during Israel’s darkest hour when God gave his people over to the Babylonians, and the great era of the Israelite nation vanished. Ezekiel also gives us some of the most repulsive and difficult portions of Scripture to understand.

Derek Thomas, in five addresses, gives a fascinating overview of the key themes and aspects of the book of Ezekiel. These were delivered in 2007 for the Spiritual Enrichment Seminars at Independant Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia.

Derek Thomas delivered a series of 4 messages at the Oklahoma City Conference on Reformed Theology in October of 2007. The subjects of the messages cover Reforming our Understanding of God, Justification, Evangelism and Holiness. A final Q&A is also available.

Derek draws deeply from church history and the Reformers, and also takes a considerable amount of time to review the New Perspective of Paul.